Contents

Plot[edit]

Colonel John Wister is in charge of a post in the British desert colony of Dickit. While on leave in England he meets and falls in love with the beautiful American Julia Ashton, whose aviator fiance died in a plane accident. Although Julia does not love John, she likes him and agrees to his marriage proposal.

John takes Julia to Dickit, where she meets John's best friend, Captain Denny Roark, and Denny's sister, Grace, who is secretly in love with John. Denny reminds Julia of her dead fiance and the two of them fall in love. John discovers this and although he would give her a divorce he knows that she is too decent to leave him.

An uprising by local Arabs means one of the soldiers must fly a fatal bombing mission. Denny volunteers but as he is saying good bye to Julia, John flies off instead, sacrificing his life so that his best friend and wife can be together.

Production notes[edit]

Warners bought the rights to Somerset Maugham's story Caesar's Wife in 1935. Bette Davis was originally announced to play the lead role.[2] However she went on suspension and Tallulah Bankhead was tested for it, before Warners gave the role to Kay Francis.[1]

Flynn apparently wrecked his ankle whilst playing tennis during the making of the film and required hospitalization.[3]

William Dieterle later claimed he did not want to make the film but did it as a favour to Hal Wallis.[4]

Filming began September 26, 1936, but Francis was exhausted after making back to back films and it was showing up in footage. Warners was interrupted when an exhausted Francis went in holiday in Europe in late 1936. It resumed and was completed in February of 1937.[1]

Errol Flynn did not want to make the film and did not like working for William Dieterle. He was also negotiating with Warner Bros for a new contract and on one occasion refused to come out of his trailer.[5]

Reception[edit]

References[edit]

^WARNERS TO SHOW 60 FEATURE FILMS: 1936-37 PRODUCTION SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED AT CONVENTION IN PROGRESS HERE. GREEN PASTURES' LISTED SEVEN OTHER STAGE SUCCESSES TO BE SCREENED -- ADAPTATION OF 'ANTHONY ADVERSE' READY. New York Times (1923-Current file) [New York, N.Y] 04 June 1936: 27.

^Mule Is a Mule Even When He Acts in Movies: Convinces Flynn a Sailor's Happier than a Soldier. SHAFFEE, GEORGE. Chicago Daily Tribune (1923-1963) [Chicago, Ill] 10 Nov 1936: 18.